Thursday, 6 July 2017

The Big Apple-Cold Spring Harbor Lab

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته and good day!My first time ever in the states, being in the gorgeous Cold Spring Harbor, it is a surreal feeling.

After a somewhat good night sleep, I had to wake up early and get ready for the early morning session.

This place sure is beautiful and quiet. But I won't get enough time spent here near my accommodation. I was placed in the worst looking house (I guess that's where they place the PhD students) because of all the other ones that the shuttle went to pickup the others looked more like a mansion.

The funny thing about the shuttle system here, the first shuttle is at 7.10am and the last shuttle for the morning is at 9 am. Breakfast ends at 8.30am and the session starts at 9 am. After that 9 am shuttle, the next one would be at 12.30pm. So if you miss the 9 am shuttle, you will miss the whole morning session.

Not only that, the afternoon shuttle ends at 7 pm and begin again at 9.30pm. So if you go back to your room to rest, you have to make sure to be back by 7 pm, or you'll miss the whole night session including dinner.

After you've paid a lot of money to be here, you cannot miss a single session. Plus, it's not just about the money, you would want to learn as much as possible.

Being in this beautiful place, walking the same path that Nobel prize winners, laureates, great minds of Sciences did, it gave me motivation.

Taking in the amazing view with the fresh sea breeze

While enjoying a delicious hearty American breakfast.

The view was amazing! Sometimes, if you are lucky, you can see a bald eagle because they have a nest here. The bald eagle is the America's national bird. You can see it in their national emblem.

Who wouldn't want to work here?

It feels so good to just walk around

Mind you, the conferences here in Cold Spring Harbor is quite intense. No minute was left doing nothing. I could only eat my food (more like inhale them in) as quick as possible so that I can have some time to rest and enjoy this place.

These buildings here are actually wet labs. They are not homes. huhu..

It is a home for these cute guys here though..

This building is the best of all. It looked as if it came from a horror movie.

On one of the afternoon, they held a cheese and wine party in front of it. I only grabbed some cheese and went to the waterfront to enjoy the view and sea breeze.

Beautiful stream

These blossoms were in front of the mansions I mentioned before. Lucky them.

This was my first opportunity presenting my poster. I couldn't go to the previous conference that I was supposed to go at Orlando, Florida due to visa problems (the problem was the US Visa people decided to screw me over by delaying the process for no good reason).

In the programme, they arranged if anyone wanted to join a walking tour around the campus. One of the PhD students took us around. The architecture here is quite exquisite. They designed the buildings according to the accomplishments made, or the main research done in it. For example, there's a bell tower shaped like the protein synthase.

They also arranged a concert on the last night. It was interesting, that's all I can say.

Try listening to her on youtube. You'll be surprised.

The best part; lobster dinner!!!

All in all, I am very grateful to get the opportunity to present my poster here. The people here were very nice and friendly. I made friends, expanded my network and gained a lifetime experience.

There were a lot of great suggestions, comments an even a collaboration offer that truly boosted my confidence and gave me the drive to keep moving in this soul sucking journey they call as PhD. May God help me.